Why is Monty Python’s Flying Circus so bad?

Subscribe now

Okay, well – and apologies for the clickbait – to start with: it isn’t. Those initial 45 shows are often terrific, frequently very good, and at the time of their original broadcast (1969-1974) were jaw-dropping.

But not only do they look cheap and tatty today, the way that so many 1970s British television shows do (people who laugh at Doctor Who for having wobbly sets should re-watch a few episodes of Fawlty Towers) they don’t have the performance polish of the stage shows, nor the high hit rate of the movies (especially Holy Grail and Life of Brian).

And, yes, some of the sketches are a bit dull.

But cranking out 13 episodes of a comedy sketch show in a three month span is a tall order, even for a team of six supremely talented and confident writer-performers. And what usually happens is that the team disbands and everyone goes on to other things. Double acts often stay together, but sketch groups usually disperse, coalesce and the original brand disappears.

Although all six Pythons enjoyed success with solo projects, they kept coming back together as a group in a way which is essentially without any obvious parallels. And when they rebanded, they didn’t just play the hits (although they definitely did play the hits) they forged on.

The record album of Holy Grail is about 30% new material. The books they published are full of extra jokes. The three movies they made are completely original. And the stuff that does get reprised – Parrot Sketch, Argument Clinic, Spam, Nudge Nudge and so on – is not only the very best of the original 45 shows, the performances get tighter and tighter as the material is gradually honed.

So when you go back to Flying Circus – or worse see it for the first time – it can be a shock to see what you think of as seasoned comedy professionals performing classic-sketches-to-be in front of an audience for the first time, and equally that not everything is of the same calibre as Life of Brian.

So, should we abandon Flying Circus as a crude first draft? I don’t think so. There’s a boldness, an experimental spirit, a youthful vigour to these old shows. And if you’re someone who loves the movies and has had a good time watching Live at the Hollywood Bowl, give the original series a try.

But don’t watch one or two episodes and give up. Watch, say, the whole of Series Two over a few weeks. Let the duller sketches wash over you, be ready to be surprised by a gem that never got reprised, and appreciate the texture and fluidity of the whole.

And if you still don’t like it – then fair enough!

When did you first see Monty Python’s Flying Circus? Have you only ever seen the later, more mature work? If you’ve seen the TV show, what’s your favourite forgotten sketch? Hit reply or leave a comment below.

If you enjoyed this, we talk more about how British comedy evolved on the All British Comedy Explained podcast — new episode next week.